Its A Hard Knock Life
by Stephycats7785
Summary: The life of a street kid is not an easy one; Leah Clearwater knows that better than most. And if a street kid knows anything, it's that their lives were never meant to be fairytales. But Jasper Hale wants to give Leah all that and more; the question is whether she will let him.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: It's a Hard Knock Life**

**Rating: M for later chapters**

**Pairing: Leah Clearwater/Jasper Hale**

**Summary: The life of a street kid is not an easy one; Leah Clearwater knows that better than most. And if a street kid knows anything, it's that their lives were never meant to be fairytales. But Jasper Hale wants to give Leah all that and more; the question is whether she will let him.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twilight!**

Food was a rarity that most people took for granted. They never really had to worry about when their next meal would be, and as a result they tended to waste the food they got and think nothing of the kids out on the street who would kill for just one bite. They dreamed of having a small bite of the foods that those rotten brats got to eat every day whenever the hell they wanted, to the point a lot of them found themselves curled in to small balls as they tried to endure the cramps of starvation. Sometimes, they were so intense the street kids thought they were going to die. Sadly, some of them did, their wills bending to the overwhelming hunger. It was a dog-eat-dog world out there, and if you weren't the top dog, then you weren't going to last very long out in the real word; the cruel, cold, demanding world.

Leah Clearwater hated those lucky bastards, the ones who never had to worry about food. Not only did she have to worry about feeding herself, but she had her younger brother to care for as well. In the summer, spring, and even most of autumn, she had no trouble digging up a meal. She would raid trash cans, rob convenience stores, or run one of her many scams in order to get enough money to buy some groceries, but in the winter it was a helluva lot harder, especially with the holidays nearing. There was always the option of going to the homeless shelter, but Leah wouldn't even consider it unless she had no other choice. The last time she'd tried, some worker at the shelter got in touch with Child Protective Services. The teen girl realized that they only wanted to help, but getting thrown in the system was _not_ her idea of help. If they ever got hold of her and Seth they would be separated, and God help her, she would _never_ let that happen.

"Hey, pretty girl, you want to keep me company tonight? It's pretty cold out here; I'm sure _I_ could keep you warm." A short, old man with graying hair and a beer belly leered at her as she walked by without saying anything in return.

If it had been the daylight hours, Leah would have told him where he could stick it, but since it was night and the streets were pretty empty, she knew it was better to keep her mouth shut. Seth was probably worried sick, and Bree had her own brother and newborn baby to worry about. Bree had been nice enough to watch Seth while his sister went out looking for food for all of them, but she couldn't watch him all night. Leah needed to find something to eat and fast. It was getting colder with every passing second, and because it was the middle of winter and she was wearing only jeans riddled with holes and a tank top, it would be a miracle if she didn't freeze to death.

"Jackpot!" A smile lit up her face as she passed a McDonalds that was closing; fate seemed to be smiling down on her that day, because one of the workers was throwing out some leftover food.

She knew a lot of the regular workers, and some of the ones who knew her situation would put the leftover meals in a brown paper bag so she wouldn't have to dig through the trash. Some of the workers were asses, who threw the food in the trash just so she would have to fish for it – if they even threw the food in the trash at all – but tonight it seemed as if she was getting one of the nicer employees. As soon as the employee went back inside, Leah quickly hurried over to grab the bag. There were five sandwiches and a bunch of fries, along with twenty bucks. It must have been Angela who left the bag; she was the only one who ever gave Leah some money. The first time it happened, she tried to give it back, but Angela wouldn't hear it, so Leah didn't bother arguing again.

_We'll have a real feast tonight!_ she cheered in her mind she started running home. Well, she mentally corrected, her mood souring just a bit, _if that shithole counts as a home._

It only took about twenty minutes for Leah to make it back to the warehouse. It was dark except for a few candles which burned on the second floor where all of the street kids huddled together. Making her way up the stairs she found Seth, Bree, Bree's younger brother, Fred, and her son, Riley, all curled up together in the far left corner of the large room. It was a spot they had claimed as their own, and all the other street kids who lived there knew to stay away unless they wanted one hell of a beat down. Bree was reading a book to the boys as she rocked Riley gently, and when she noticed Leah, she smiled and nudged seven-year-old Seth with her foot, letting him know his big sister came back to him.

"Leah!" The ecstatic little boy leaped to his feet and ran to his sister, jumping into her arms. "You took long time, and I was scared. Are you okay? Did you get any food?"

"I sure did," she informed him with a smile before joining the others and setting the bag of food between them. She divided the food between them equally with a smile. They would finally have a good night's sleep with – more or less – full bellies, a nice change for them. "Eat up; tomorrow, I'm go get us some food that should last a few days. We won't have to worry for a few days, maybe even a week if we're careful."

_"Raid!"_

A scream ripped through the night air as every street kid who'd been sleeping shot up, started gathering whatever they could carry and then made a break for it.

Leah, always on the alert, even in sleep, was up right away. "Seth, get up!" She grabbed her brother by the arm and dragged him to his feet before heading to the main door. She'd already made sure that Bree and the other two boys had already made it out. "We need to leave right now, it's a Code Red R, Seth, Code Red R!"

Code Red R was the name they had come up with for a raid. If they were ever separated during one, they would meet in a park about half a mile from their current situation. It wasn't often they got separated, but the first time it happened, it had taken Leah three and half panic-filled hours to find her brother. He'd been only four at the time and she'd been lucky to find him. Who knew what the crazies would have done if they'd gotten to him first? Seth was the only person Leah was certain she loved, and she'd worked too hard to make sure he was safe and that they stayed together. She'd never stop fighting for Seth, no matter what.

Seth nodded solemnly, recognizing the seriousness of the situation immediately despite his youth.

Half a second later, he let out a scream as one of the officers raiding the place raid grabbed his arm and yanked him from his sister's protective hold. "Leah!"

She whirled around when she felt her brother being torn from her grasp, adrenaline and fury kicking in. Immediately, she tackled the cop who had her brother, only to be ripped off of him by another. She struggled, kicked, punched, scratched, and even tried to bite her way to freedom, but the cop was too strong and she didn't have a chance. Her eyes met those of her frightened brother as she silently tried to let him know with her eyes that everything would be alright. No matter what happened, she would take care of him. If they were separated, she would just kidnap him and run away; it wouldn't be the first time they'd do it, and, sadly, the odds told her that it wouldn't be the last. Street kids were always in and out of the system. Leah often wished that her crack-head mother and abusive step-father would have left them on the doorstep of some family that would have taken care of them and loved them. It had been so long since anyone had loved her, she wasn't sure she even knew what it felt like anymore. The last person to love her besides Seth had been her real father, but that love died the day he did; he was accidentally shot while on a hunting trip.

"The more you struggle, the worse you're making things on yourself," the cop warned as he pulled her down the stairs before stuffing her in the back of his squad car, none of which was accomplished without a huge fight. "You rotten street brats are all the same. I could be home with my wife right now, but _no_, I had to join in on a raid to catch ungrateful kids who don't know how to behave. It's a waste of my time and the tax payer's money."

"Good thing I don't pay fucking taxes, then," she hissed, looking out the window. She spotted Seth immediately, and saw that he was being put in the back of another squad car. Tears were pouring down his face and he was screaming for Leah. It tore her heart in two, which fueled her anger. "You're a fucking monster for putting my brother in a different car! He's just a kid! If you really cared about people at _all_, you'd realize that being with me is in his best interest, but _do_ you care? Of course you don't! If you knew for one second the shit my brother and I have been through then you would _know _separating us and handing us over to CPS is _not__the way to go!_"

Instead of saying anything, the cop turned the radio up to block her out. She flipped him off before sighing and letting her head flop against the back seat. Leah knew what was going to happen next. She would be taken to holding for the rest of the night and in the morning she would see her case worker, Jane, who would no doubt lecture her for running away from the last foster home she had been put in. After the lecture, she would be placed somewhere until she could escape and find Seth. It would be so much easier for her they were placed together, but she did not hold out much hope for that happening – anyone would take Seth, he was so cute and lovable and young, but nobody wanted to take in a troubled teen. At least Seth still had a few good years left before he needed to worry about group homes.

Looking up, Leah closed her eyes in a silent prayer. _Dad, if you're watching us right now, please keep Seth safe. I'm doing the best I can, but I still need your help until I turn eighteen and can legally get custody of him. My birthday's less than a year away, so I'm not asking too much. Ask the Big Man upstairs for a favor, if you don't mind. I love and miss you, Dad._

TBC...

**AN: As you all know, sometimes I get an idea for a new story and I have to write it or I am blocked on all of my other stories. That is what happened with this story. The idea just sort of came to me and I had to write it. I know my updates are slow, but my beta has school and I understand that. Plus I am finishing up some stuff to start college and it is just busy, but I try my best. I would love to hear your thoughts on this story.**

**Please R&R like always!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twilight!**

Leah knew that she should have probably been listening to Jane as she ranted, but she was bored, tired, and worried about her brother. She could see the blonde's lips moving, but when she tried to make out what she was saying, it was like Jane had suddenly morphed into the teacher from the old _Charlie Brown_ cartoons. So she just nodded and smiled whenever she thought it was appropriate until Jane finally slapped her hands together in front of Leah's face, causing the teen girl to jump so hard she almost fell over completely.

"Are you even listening to me?" Jane snapped, narrowing her eyes.

The teen girl shrugged and decided to tell the truth, knowing it would piss Jane off. "I'm trying _really_ hard not to, actually."

The blonde smirked as she closed Leah Clearwater's file. It wasn't like she was new to the case. She had been dealing with the girl since she was eleven, and she got worse with each passing year. "You really don't care what happens to you, do you? Do you have any idea, even an inkling, what kinds of shit I had to go through in order to keep you out of a juvenile detention center? You're not a child anymore, Leah, and pretty soon I won't be able to help you. What good do you think you'll be to your brother if you wind up in prison before you're twenty-one?"

"I'll only go to prison if I get caught, and that won't happen," she replied, looking at her nails for lack of anything better to do. "It was just a fluke this time. I let my guard down, but I assure you it _won't_ happen again. Now, are you going to lecture me all fucking night long, or can we get on with this shit? Just tell me what weird family I'm going too, what I need to watch out for, and where my brother is. The sooner I'm settled, the sooner I can start planning my escape."

"Escaping may be harder this time around," Jane told her, knowing Leah wasn't going to be thrilled with her next statement. "I'm doing this for your own good, and I hope you'll try to remember that when you're fighting the urge to kill me. I care about you, Leah, and I care about Seth. I know what the two of you have been through, but you need to straighten out your life. You won't be going to a regular foster home, or a group home. I'm sending you to a Level Fourteen Detention Center that's run by a friend of mine. I told him all about you, and he thinks that he'll be able to help. He's been where you are, Leah and I feel you have a lot to learn from him. His name is Jasper Hale, and he'll be here shortly to pick you up. As for Seth, I can't tell you where is being sent until the paperwork has been filed. I _can,_however, assure you that he's safe, and as soon as everything has been handled, I'll make sure you are taken to see your brother."

"You have to be fucking _kidding_ me!" The Native American teen curled her hands – shaking with rage – into fists and pressed them against her knees to keep from punching something or someone and getting in even more trouble. "A _Level Fourteen Detention Center_, are you_serious?!_ Those places are for kids who light their parents on fire or have entire conversations with the voices in their heads! I know I've fucked up some, but I'm nowhere near bad enough go to one of those places. There has to be somewhere else I can go,_anywhere _Jane, please."

The social worker shook her head. "This is the best place for you right now. If I didn't think it could do you some good, I wouldn't be sending you there, but the fact of the matter is that I _do_ think it'll be good for you. Jasper's a good man and he has great success in rehabilitating troubled teens. I think that you'll end up thanking me for this, eventually. It's better you go to this center now than end up in prison in a year or so."

"Whatever," Leah muttered crossing her arms and flopping back in her seat.

She was pissed for obvious reasons, but it wasn't like she could do anything to change the situation. She would settle for ignoring Jane until this Jupiter guy – or whatever his fucking name was – showed up. He was probably some forty-year-old dude with a beer gut and bald head who had a thing for teen girls – maybe he was that guy who hit on Leah the other day. Leah had met men like that before. They would pretend to give a shit when all they wanted was a nice piece of ass. Prison was actually looking like the better option in her mind. At least if she went to prison, she would know what she was dealing with. Maybe she should murder Jane, just to ensure a trip to prison instead of the Detention Center, but then again, if she went to prison, she would be unable to take care of Seth. It looked like she would have to deal with this new development as best she could in order to make sure that she'd get to her brother as soon as possible.

* * *

Jasper Hale was running late and he knew it. He'd had so much to deal with that day, and his younger sister Rosalie was making things any easier. She had not been happy to learn that she would have to share her room. Usually, she had a room to herself, but because her brother thought himself to be some sort of hero to the street kids of the world, he'd taken in another 'stray', as she liked to call them, even though the group home was full. Jasper had a thing for trying to save the underdogs, and when Jane had sent him a file on one Leah Clearwater, his hero complex had set in right away. He was determined to help this girl, and because of that, Rosalie had to give up some of her privacy. Sometimes having a big brother who cared about everyone could be a pain in the ass.

By the time the Southern male finally made it to DHS, he was about forty minutes late. He ran into the building, his honey colored curls bouncing with each step he took, and had no trouble coming across Jane and a Native-American girl who was seventeen. "Jane, I'm sorry so I'm late. This must be Leah Clearwater, I've heard so much about you. Are you about ready to go? We've got a lot to do today and not a whole lot of time to do. I'm Jasper, but I'm sure Jane had already told you that."

Leah raised an eyebrow at his small ramble before she stood up, nodded once at Jane, and headed towards the door. She didn't want to talk, and so she didn't. All she wanted was to get the hell out of there, get some food, and then get some sleep. A part of her was annoyed that she had been wrong about this Jasper dude being an old, ugly geezer. He was actually the opposite – he was actually pretty hot, if she was being honest – and if he hadn't been a part of the enemy trying to keep her from her brother, she might have a move on him.

After opening the car door for Leah and getting in the driver's side, Jasper decided that it would probably be a good idea to try and start a conversation, break the ice. "So are you hungry? We could stop somewhere to get something to eat if you want."

Keeping her gaze out the window, Leah answered him in a tone that made it clear she didn't want to talk. "I'm perfectly capable of getting my own food. I don't need or want handouts, especially from _you. _I know your game and I'm not interested in playing. Just keep your mouth shut and leave me alone."

Jasper sighed and glanced her way. She was only making this harder by being stubborn. "You know that's something I can't do. I know how you feel, trust me, and I understand why you're trying to keep me at arm's length; you've been hurt before and you don't want to risk it happening again. I won't push you, darlin', but I'm not going to give up either, so you may as well get used to me because I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

Leah smirked and turned to look at him for a moment. "You say that now, but you're gonna end up just like everyone else. They all say that they're in it for the long haul, but they never make it for more than a couple of months at the most. Go ahead, take a shot, but it'll be fun for me to watch you miss. Since you mentioned food, I think I'll take you up on your offer. I want a bacon-cheese burger, no, wait, make that two, along with fries and a shake. Maybe if you feed me, I'll _think_ about giving you the benefit of the doubt."

"It is a start, I guess," he told her, making a U-turn and heading to one of his favorite diners."If you're willing to talk during our meal, I might be persuaded to get you some pie for dessert."

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twilight!**

True to his word, Jasper took Leah to his favorite diner across town, and as she swallowed bite after monstrous bite of food, she had to admit that they made was spectacular. The bacon-cheese burger she was currently stuffing in her mouth tasted like heaven – or maybe she was just so hungry she _thought_ it tasted like heaven. For a street kid who could never count on eating the next day, just about anything would take like the best food she'd ever had. Still, Leah was thinking of bribing the honey-blond male into bringing her here every single day, though she wasn't sure what she would bribe him _with._ Maybe she would even get _fat._ Most girls wouldn't want to be even slightly chubby, but in Leah's mind, it sure beat starving.

"So, what's your story?" she mumbled around a mouthful of food. Having a good meal worked wonders on her mood, and she was feeling happier than usual, in spite of the fact that she still had no idea where her brother was.

Jasper took a sip of his soda before answering her question with a question. "What makes you think I have a story to tell?"

Leah smirked as she finished her burger and moved on to her fries. In her humble opinion, the fries officially beat the burger in the 'Best Thing She'd Ever Put in Her Mouth' category. "Guys like you _always _have some sort of sob story. I mean, it's not like you woke up one day and decided that you wanted to work with kids who'd probably treat you like shit on a daily basis and would show no appreciation for what you do to try and help them. There_must _be a reason why you do what you do, and I want to know what it is."

"So you're saying that I need to have an ulterior motive because I want to help people?" he asked with a small smile. This girl sure was an odd one, but the odd ones were always the most interesting.

"Bingo," she replied. "If I've learned anything living on the streets, it that people are selfish. Nobody does anything these days without getting anything back in return, so I wanna know what you get out of the whole deal. What, do you get the girls you save to fuck you? Are you secretly running a drug ring and use the kids you take in as your pawns? Oh, do you write this off on your taxes or something? Or do you just have an extreme superhero complex?"

The Southern male wanted to laugh, but he managed to hold it back and remain somewhat serious. "None of the above. Can I point out that you have a very dark view of the world? I remember when I was where you are. I hated the world because I felt like everyone in it was out to screw me over. I, like you, believed that nobody did anything if they wouldn't get something in return. And then I met Peter and Charlotte when Rosalie and I were placed in their care. No matter how much I acted out or what I said to them, they never gave up on me. They're the reason I want to help others; I want to give them the hope and guidance Peter and Charlotte gave me. Without them, I'm not sure where I would've ended up – probably lying dead in a ditch somewhere – and God knows what would've happened to Rosalie. Is that enough of an answer for you, darlin', or am I still too good to be true?"

The Native American teen shrugged as she finished the last of her Pepsi. "I guess that answers works for now, but I'm gonna wanna know more at some point. But, considering we just met, I can't very well expect you to open up to me right away and there is _no way_I'm going to open up to you either."

Jasper set the money down to pay for the meal as well as a nice tip and stood up, helping her with the jacket Jane had given her. "Is there anything I could do to gain your trust? I'm here to help you, Leah, and whether you want to see it or not, I really do want what's best for you. I've been where you are and I know what it's like to feel alone and have the responsibility of raising a younger sibling on your shoulders. It's not easy; eventually, the weight's gonna crush you if you don't let someone help you carry the burden. _I _want to help you carry that burden, if you will let me, so tell me what I can do to help you, Leah; if it's within my power, I'll do it."

Leah bit her bottom lip. She really wanted to trust him, but her past told her it would be a stupid thing to do. Yet a part of her was _so _tired of handling everything on her own. She was a teen girl who felt as if she were eighty years old. It might actually be a nice change of pace to let someone in; even if she kept her guard partly up, something was better than nothing at all.

"If you really want to earn my trust then you need to find out where my brother is and if he is alright." It was the only thing she cared about right now and if anyone would be able to get information on Seth it would be Jasper. "If you can do that then you will have earned my respect and once you have my respect it is one step closer to earning my trust."

Rosalie Hale was _not_ a happy camper when her brother finally got back with her new roommate. She'd had to watch over some of the younger kids, and they loved to cause trouble when Jasper wasn't around. None of them really listened to her, and that drove the blond female insane, which is probably why they ignored her in the first place. Everyone loved Jasper because he was so charming and calm and easygoing, but Rosalie wasn't any of those things and she often wondered if God had forgotten to add a pinch of compassion while creating her soul.

"Finally!" she snapped, hands on her hips, as she sent a glare in her brother's direction. "Do you have _any _idea of the crap I had to deal with while you were gone? I caught Emmett smoking again, and it's kind of weird trying to give him a lecture because he's my boyfriend! Oh, and Bella was caught with _another _boy in her room, and the upstairs toilet in the boy's dorm is all stuffed up and there's _no way _I was going to try and unclog it."

Jasper sighed before he kissed his sisters cheek and ruffled her hair in a way she hated. "I'll take care of it, Rosie. Why don't you show Leah around and introduce her to a few people? Oh, and Rose, try to be nice."

"I promise nothing!" she called to his retreating figure before turning to give Leah a once-over. "Okay, now that my brother's out of the way, I want to make a few things clear. We may have to share a room, but it's _my _room, and you're just a loiterer for now. You're not to touch any of my things without my permission, and I'll show you the same kindness. You're not allowed to put up posters or anything decorative without my say-so, and if you feel the need to bring a boy to our room, _don't_. If you want to fuck, then find a closet or something to do it in like everyone else. Yes, I have a boyfriend and he spends time in my room, but we'll always be clothed since I'd rather you _didn't_ see either of us naked. I always get up early, but I stay up late. I'm not sure what your sleeping habits are, but as long as they don't screw around with mine, I don't see us as having a problem. Do you have any questions, or was I not clear enough for you?"

Leah smirked as she eyed her new roommate. "Crystal clear, roomie. I have no desire to touch your shit and I don't plan on fucking anyone while I'm here. All I want to do is lay low until I can find out if my little brother is alright. I don't want to be here any more than you want me here. I don't to play the game of who's the bigger bitch; I concede, so you can keep your crown."

Rosalie smiled – a real, genuine smile – when she heard Leah's reply, and her guard immediately fell. "Okay, we're cool. Just so you know, I'm sorry I had to act that way, but there _are_ some bitches in this place who like to think they're hot shit, and I have to knock them down a peg or two. Plus, most of them want to bang my brother, so I do what needs to be done to keep them in line. Hey, would you like to meet a few friends of mine? They're pretty cool and not fake, like most of the kids here. Plus, as long as you stick with us, the other kids won't give you a hard time."

"I have nothing else on my plate, so sure," Leah said, following the blond down a long hallway. "Is your brother for real with all his 'want to do good' crap?"

Rosalie laughed, nearly choking on the air. "Yeah, he's for real. He genuinely wants to help people. He can be a pain in the ass, but he means well. My brother knows what it's like for people like us on the streets. We had to live that way for a long time, and for a while, Jasper was cold, almost inhuman, but then Peter and Charlotte took us in, and he began to thaw out. You really should let him help you before it's too late. You might think that you can handle this alone, but the truth is that we all need help, even if we don't wanna admit it."

"I'll think about it," Leah told her curtly, effectively ending the conversation. "So, are we gonna meet your friends, or what?"

"They're not _just_ my friends," Rosalie corrected as they finally reached a room at the end of the seemingly interminable hallway. "You're about to meet the coolest people on the planet, who are also the only friends you'll ever need. Since you're pretty cool in your own right, it'll only add to our awesome factor, but remember, most of us are a bit crazy. Then again, crazy is the new normal in this day and age. I think that you're gonna fit in _just_ fine."

The mocha-skinned female grimaced. "I'm not sure if that's supposed to make me feel better, but I'll take it as a compliment. I've always thought normality was overrated, anyway; so bring on the insanity!"

TBC…


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twilight!

When Rosalie had told Leah she was about to meet the coolest people on Earth, the Native American female had been prepared to meet a bunch of lunatics – most people that ended up in places like this had usually lost their marbles a long time ago. She'd been prepared to deal with insanity – she realized that she wasn't exactly the most mentally stable person or anything, but what she hadn't expected was to meet people she could actually relate to. They were just like her. Of course they each had a different background, but when you got down to the roots of their pasts and the reasons as to why they were locked up to begin with, they were so similar to her own story.

Emmett McCarty was the first person she was introduced to, and Leah had to admit the guy was pretty cool. It took her a few minutes to get past his size, which was rather intimidating, but after she managed to do that, she realized he was just a big kid at heart. He liked to make jokes – most of them perverted – and she deemed him safe enough to hang out with. Plus, he only had eyes for Rosalie, so she wouldn't have to worry about him hitting on her. Emmett also gained brownie points with her when he gave a smoke to her when his girlfriend wasn't looking at them. Yes, Leah could see herself becoming friends with him – if only for the smokes at the bare minimum – and the fact he didn't ask her a bunch of stupid questions about her past and why she was there only made her like him more.

Alice Brandon was a strange girl, but not in a bad way. She reminded Leah of an older and female version of Seth. The toddler-sized girl spoke mostly in riddles and was hard to understand most of the time – kind of like the character Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series – but she had this innocence about her that was refreshing. Apparently, she'd been tortured as a child by her mother and it pushed her over the edge. She was sane most of the time, but there were still moments where she could crack. The state had wanted to lock her up, but Jasper wouldn't allow it; he took charge of her and her boyfriend, Edward, who'd been the one to find her living on the streets when she was twelve.

Edward Mason was probably the sanest out of them all. He had this maturity about him that most adults didn't even have. It was hard to believe that someone like him was dating Alice, but then again, opposites attract. One look at the pair told Leah how in love they were. Edward's story was actually the closest to Leah's out of everyone else. He'd had a younger brother, Felix, who died when he was three due to a severe beating from Edward's stepmother. The bronze-haired boy had been seven at the time, and he'd walked around a mile to the nearest hospital with his brother in his arms, hoping they could save him, but he died shortly after being admitted. The next day, Edward ran away from home without ever looking back. He had taken care of himself and been in and out of the system until he found Alice and Jasper had taken them both in.

The last person Leah got to meet in the tight group of friends was Jacob Black, who also happened to be Native American. He didn't say much, but from what Rosalie had told her about him, she probably wouldn't speak much either, if she'd been put through what he'd gone through. Jacob was gay and his parents refused to accept it, and tried to beat the gay out of him. They even had someone try to exorcise the demon out of him. When none of that worked, they tried to get women to fuck the gay out of him. Eventually, Jacob got fed up left without a word. That's all anyone other than Jacob's case worker and Jasper really knew about him. Leah had a feeling that, if she were to become close friends with any of these people, it would be him.

The russet-skinned runaway had met one other person, but she wasn't a part of the tight group of friends, though she wanted to be. Isabella, who everyone referred to as Bella, was someone Leah knew was going to be her enemy no matter how friendly she was to her. It was obvious that Bella was into Edward Cullen, and it was just as obvious that Edward couldn't stand her. She would try every few seconds to get closer to him, and he would edge away, not wanting to be outright rude, but getting closer and closer to it the more persistent she became. She just didn't seem to take the hint, and when Leah tried to introduce herself, she was given a glare for her efforts. Leah decided then and there she wasn't going to try for a second time.

"Isabella." Rosalie didn't even try to play nice as she glared at the 'Home Slut,' which was Bella's very accurate nickname. "Maybe if you put half as much interest in trying to get your daughter back as you do in trying to get laid, you may actually get the chance to get her back."

"Daughter?" Leah whispered to Emmett, who was the closest to her. She couldn't really picture this Bella chick as a mother.

"Son, actually," Emmett whispered back. "Reneesme, well, Ren, as he likes to be called, was born in a girl's body. He's eight and sometimes he stays here with us, but Bella got caught dealing some E and the state took him again. Jasper is trying to get him since we are the only family he has ever really known. Word of advice, when Bella's around, do not refer to Ren as a boy, or she'll flips out."

Bella had caught the tail end of what Emmett said to Leah and her expression turned to one of rage. "Nessie is not a boy! I don't understand why the state took her away when all I was trying to do was beat the freak out of her! She needs to realize that she's a girl, she was always a girl, and I will never accept her as a son! I don't want a son – fuck, I didn't even want a daughter – but I got one anyway! She was born as a girl and that's what I'm gonna get, end of story."

Leah knew she had to say something. It probably wasn't her place, but if it was Seth who was a transgender, she knew would love him regardless. This Bella chick needed a verbal slap into the real world.

"Wow, I thought you were just a whore, but as it turns out, you're a heartless bitch, too."

Bella turned to her in shock, but before she could retaliate, Leah kept talking. "I don't have any kids, but I do have a younger brother and I love him more than anything else in this world. It wouldn't matter to me if he was gay, transgender, bisexual, or whatever. The fact is that he's my brother and I'll always love him. I would do anything for him, and you can't even accept your kid the way she, I mean he, is? I feel bad for your kid, I really do. If I wasn't so set on being on my best behavior in order to get out of here, I'd beat your scrawny ass. I suggest you take your whoring ass out of here and away from me before I change my mind and lay down some physical pain on your judgmental ass. If I see you again and I find out you're being anything less than perfect towards your son, I promise that I'm gonna whip your ass. You can leave now – and that wasn't a request."

Bella opened and closed her mouth a few times, like she wanted to say something, but when nothing came out, she turned on her heel, her face tomato-red, and stormed out of the room. After she disappeared down the hall, everyone in the room, who'd stopped to listen to Leah tell Bella off, burst into laughter and applause. No one other than Rosalie had stood up to Bella like that before. If anyone in the group had been unsure about Leah before, they were absolutely sure of her now. She was one of them, a part of their messed up family, and families took care of each other. The first step would be in trying to get her brother back, and Rosalie decided the best way to do that would be by talking to her brother. Until then, the group wanted to show Leah a good time.

"You're pretty cool, Leah Clearwater," Emmett crowed before throwing an arm around her shoulder. "You're like the little sister I never wanted."

She rolled her eyes before removing his arm. "Gee thanks, that means more to me than you'd ever realize. Say, shouldn't we be heading to dinner? In most of the homes I've been to, if you don't get food as soon as possible, you don't eat."

"Ah, you have so much to learn," Edward sighed as he moved to stand next to her. "When you hang with us, you get the perks. Such as, you don't have to worry about fighting for a meal."

Alice grinned like a loon as she bounced around the room. "Yes, yes, Leah, you just have to follow us! Follow, follow, down the rabbit hole, but don't you fear, we know where to go!"

The small teen grabbed Leah's hand before pulling her down the hall and Leah thought to herself, Could I have picked weirder people to hang out with? What the hell have I gotten myself into?

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twilight!**

It was around midnight when Leah felt her stomach grumble. It was a good thing that her new group of friends had shown her how to get in to the kitchen at night so she wouldn't have to wait until morning to grab a bite. They really were handy when it came to some things. With a yawn, she slipped out of bed, being extra careful not to wake her blond roommate, and headed towards the kitchen. Since everyone was sleeping, she'd figured nobody else would be there, but she been wrong.

As soon as she flicked the light on, she nearly jumped out of her skin because there, sitting in the dark and eating a piece of apple pie, was none other than Jasper Hale himself. "Holy Christ! You about gave me a fucking heart-attack, Hale." She glared at him. "Why are you sitting in the dark like some sort creep?"

"I see my sister and her friends have accepted you in to their crowd." The honey-blond smiled before standing up and going to the fridge. He pulled out another piece of pie, topped it off with some whipped cream, and place a cherry in the center. He set the plate down on the bar in front of Leah and gave her a look when all she did was stand there like she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "You know, you can sit down if you'd like. I don't bite, darlin'."

The Native American teen shrugged before taking a seat next to him and poking her fork in the pie. "Is this your way of punishing for breaking the rules and going out of my room after curfew? If it is, then I need to break the rules more often, though I prefer cake."

Jasper took another bite of his pie before choosing to answer her. "I tend to let most things slide around here. The kids in this place have been punished enough, and I would never begrudge someone something to eat because I know what it's like to go hungry. Of course, some of the kitchen workers disapprove, but they've never been forced to live on the streets, so they have no idea what it's like. I would rather have to pay for an extra month's worth of groceries than _ever _allow someone to go hungry."

"Sometimes, when finding food is really hard, I give everything to Seth; I never told him that, though, because he would've gotten really upset," she replied forlornly, remembering some of the harder times that she and her brother shared. Setting her fork down, she pulled up the sleeve on her shirt to show a jagged white scar across her wrist. "It got so bad one year that Seth was getting really sick. I was so scared that he was going to die, and I couldn't take him to the doctor, so I slit my wrist and made him drink. He doesn't remember it, but I swore that I would _never _let it get that bad again."

The honey-blond flinched as he remembered some of the harsher times he and Rosie had endured before Peter and Charlotte took them in. "I had to do the same thing for Rosalie a couple of times. Leah, I hope you know that, as long as you're here, you'll _never _have to do anything like that. You asked me why I do what I do – this is why. I don't want to see more kids going through what we did. I do this for people like you, Jacob, Alice, Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, and your little brother. I do this to give you all the life we deserve. We all deserve a change."

Leah finished her pie and pushed her plate away. "It's too late for people like me."

Jasper vehemently shook his head; he refused to believe something like that. "It's _never_ too late Leah; not if you let me help you. How about you and I sit down tomorrow and talk about what you want to do with your life? We can set up a plan. The best way to get your brother back is by proving that you're capable of raising him. You _do_ want him back, don't you?"

"Of course I want him back!" she snapped, slamming her hands down on the table before taking a deep breath and speaking in a much quieter tone. "I'm sorry for screaming like that, but I believe you'd even ask me that. Everything I do, everything I have _ever _done, was for Seth. I want him to have a future. What happens to me doesn't matter, as long as Seth grows up to be happy and safe. I'm willing to do _whatever _it takes to get him back."

"Good." Jasper said with a smile as he stood up and gathered up their dirty dishes. "Since you're willing to do whatever it takes, I expect to see you in my office around two, alright? Just because you want your brother to have a future doesn't mean you have to give up yours. I'm sure we can come up with something you'll like. You should get some rest; we have a lot of work to do tomorrow, and I won't tolerate slacking. Getting Seth back won't be easy – trust me I know – but it's not impossible."

"As long as you don't try to turn me into a Goody Two-Shoes like you, then it's cool with me," she told him, yawning at the end of her sentence. "I'll see you later, Jasper. Thanks for the pie."

"You think I should _what_?" Leah screeched later that day. She was pretty sure all of the other kids could hear her, but she didn't really care. What Jasper was proposing was the_dumbest _idea she'd ever heard. "It's not gonna happen. There's absolutely _no way_ I'm going back to school. Do you have any idea how far behind I'd be? I wouldn't graduate until I was, like, thirty or something! Besides, I've been doing just fine on my own, thank you very much. I don't need an education to take care of Seth. Lots of people get jobs after dropping out of school. Why can't I just do that?"

The Southern male sighed and ran his left hand in his hair. "Do you really want your life's greatest achievement to be you ran the drive-through at Burger King? That's what happens when you don't get a college education. You'll live a life full of dead-end jobs that pay minimum wage, and taking care of a younger sibling isn't going to be cheap. If you're concerned about being behind, don't be; I have a personal staff of tutors who will help you keep up in classes you're behind in. Some of the kids here just like to get the GED, but I suggest college because a diploma looks better when you apply for a job."

"Even if I agreed to go back to school – and that's a big _if_ – I have no idea what I want to study. The only thing I was ever good at was art. I used to paint all the time, and I haven't done it in years," Leah told him with a sigh. It wasn't that she didn't want a good future and to go to school, but she doubted she was smart enough to pass, even with the help of a tutor. "When I was a kid I wanted to start an art gallery, but I don't see that as a realistic life goal."

"Why not?" Jasper questioned, leaning forward in his chair and rest his elbows on his desk. "I think it's a perfectly reachable goal, if you're willing to put a little effort into it. How about we make a compromise? You go back to school, and I'll get you an art set, so you can see if you still have some talent. As long as you continue to go to school, then I'll supply you. If you decide that art isn't for you, then we can talk about some other interests you have. I make this kind of deal with all of the kids here. Alice gets her dance lessons, Edward gets his piano lessons, Emmett gets to play football – I even have a few friends who are scouts and interested in him – Jake got a motorcycle and is allowed to race on the local circuit, and Rosalie gets her vocal lessons. I'm not unreasonable, Leah. So do we have a deal or not?"

The russet-skinned female thought about it for a few seconds. It seemed almost too good to be true. "So let me get this straight; you're willing to pay for me to doodle on a canvas as long as I go to school?"

"Yes," he replied with a smile. "Though I would hope you do more than simply scribble on paper. As long as you go to school, I'm happy to pay for your art supplies."

"Well then, you have yourself a deal!" Leah replied enthusiastically, shaking his hand to make if official. "Do you think we could go and get the art supplies now? I'm going to need pencils, paint, paper, and a canvas of course. Oh, and I need charcoal. I have a great idea for a picture for Seth. If I can actually get it done without it looking like shit, do you think you can give it to him since I can't see him yet? I want to draw up a collage of all the cartoon characters I can come up with, but I want to do it so that they make up a picture that looks like his face. I'm not even sure if I can pull it off, but do you think he would like that?"

"I think anyone would like that, Leah, and I have that you couldn't mess it up even if you tried," Jasper assured her with an expression of absolute faith. "You're a smart and driven girl, darlin', and I know that, if you put your mind to it, you could do anything you wanted. We can go get your supplies now. You should go and see if anyone else wants to go to town. They get their weekly allowance today, and I'd like to get this shopping trip over and done with. I know someone's gonna wanna to go to the mall."

"We get an allowance?" she questioned, feeling her eyebrow raise in surprise. She sure hadn't seen that coming.

He'd forgotten she didn't know about the allowances yet. "Fifty dollars a week, and for each week you don't get in trouble, it goes up ten dollars. If you _do_ get in trouble, it goes down ten."

Standing up, she slapped his shoulder with a wide grin. "I like you more and more each day, Hale. You sure know how to please a girl." Realizing how that sounded, Leah's face flushed and she tried to backtrack. "Wait, that _totally_ came out the wrong way. You know what I meant to say."

He couldn't seem to hold back his smirk. He knew that he shouldn't flirt with her, since she was both underage and in his care, but he just couldn't help it. "Well, I aim to please, Leah, and you can take _that _any way you want."

TBC…


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twilight!

Leah wasn't sure why she'd let Alice and Rosalie drag her along to the mall. All she'd really wanted was to get the art supplies and head back quickly so she could get started on Seth's painting. That had been her plan until Alice had given her the big, watery, Disney princess eyes. For some reason, Alice was determined to get Leah some new clothes; she had even talked Jasper out of a hundred bucks to put towards Leah's new wardrobe. The Native American female had been all for going to the Salvation Army and getting some shit cheap, but the look on her face when Alice's when she mentioned it would have made anyone else think that Leah had stabbed her, so she figured it would be better to just go with the flow. The last thing she needed was for Alice to pull out the tears to get what she wanted.

"Leah, you _have_ to try this on!" Alice's chirpy voice filled her ears as she skipped over to her new friend, holding what appeared to be a long and shimmery red evening gown. "The color would be perfect with your skin and it'll bring out your eyes! You have such beautiful eyes."

She couldn't be serious, right? Where the fuck would Leah ever wear something like that? It isn't exactly school attire and it's not like she had been invited to a ball or something. The tough street kid wanted to tell the small teen girl that she wasn't in a Disney movie getting ready to meet her prince, but she figured it might upset Alice to tell her that.

"Alice," Leah sighed while plastering a fake smile on her face, "it's not that I hate the dress, but I'm trying to shop realistically and I can't think of one situation where I'd need such a beautiful dress. Plus, if I ended up buying that dress, it would be the only piece of clothing I'd be able to get. How about we put the dress back and look at some more functional clothing? I promise if the time comes that I need a nice dress, we'll come back and get it. Hell, if that day comes I'll even let you do my hair and makeup. How does that sound?"

At first Alice's bottom lip quivered like she was about to cry, but the next second a smile that was so bright it nearly blinded Leah took over her features. "Okay, you have yourself a deal. Let's find Rosalie and we can go look at jeans. Do you like dark wash ones?"

The mocha-skinned woman shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not really all that picky. I tend to wear whatever I can find, as long as it's comfortable."

"You don't look at the labels?" she questioned with a look of horror on her face, almost like Leah had committed a serious crime. "Well that's just unacceptable. I have so much to teach you! By the time I'm finished with you, you're going to be a completely different person. I bet I'll do such a great job that even Jasper will be amazed."

"What?" Leah asked, shocked by Alice's last statement. "Why would he even care?"

Edward's girlfriend smiled as if she knew some big secret. "I see the way he looks at you. In all the years I have known Jasper, he's never dated nor shown any interest in a girl – before you, that is. For a while, Jacob hoped he was gay, but Jasper told him he wasn't. Jake was upset for a little while, but he got over it when a new guy was brought in. Jake _loves_ a pretty face. I'm just glad Edward and I were together before we got there because I have no doubt in my mind he would have been one of Jacob's many crushes had he been single at the time."

"He doesn't look at me in the way you're suggesting, midget." Leah was absolutely certain. Why would someone like Jasper ever want someone like her? "He's only trying to help me get off the street. Besides, even if he did like me in that way, we could never be together."

The smaller girl tilted her head. "Why not?"

"For one, he's older than I am," she replied, picking out a couple pairs of dark bell-bottoms. "Also, he runs the shelter, and I'm pretty you're not allowed to date the people you take in, especially if they're under eighteen. The simple fact is you're seeing something that isn't there. Jasper doesn't treat me any differently than he treats you all, so I would appreciate if you dropped the subject. I'm not looking for a prince to come and save me. Look, let's pay for these and then find Rosalie. Alice, I don't know you that well, but I'm asking you not to push this issue. If I wanted a boyfriend, I could get my own, thank you very much."

Alice shrugged and followed it up with a deep sigh. "Resist it all you want, but I know you're going to end up together. I can see hearts jumping around your head; hearts like the one Edward and I have for each other. The two of you are like magnets, and fighting your feelings won't change a course already set in stone. Let's go get Rose and then get some ice cream. I _love_ ice cream; it's like eating a frozen cloud."

A couple of hours later, they were still at the mall, and everyone had split up to do something different. Alice and Edward had gone to the shoe store to get sneakers that didn't have holes in them, Rosalie was getting her nails done while Emmett had blond streaks put into his short hair, Bella had found some random guy and taken him to the girls bathroom, Jake was in Sears getting some tool he needed to fix up his bike, and Leah had wondered off to the arcade. She wasn't sure where Jasper had wandered off too. She hadn't seen him since he went to put the art supplies in the van.

"Die, alien scum, die!" The tanned teen girl shouted as she continued to slam her fingers against the different colored buttons. "You messed with the_wrong_ planet. Do you even know who I am? I'm Leah fucking Clearwater, bitch! Die! Die! Damn it!"

Leah pushed away from the game when her character on screen exploded in to a mess of ash when an alien hit her with his egg-shaped silver laser. She had been getting bored with that game anyway and had won seventy-five tickets, so it was time to move on to a different machine. Looking around, she saw Jasper in the very back of the arcade playing some old western shooting game, so she made her way in that direction. When she finally reached him, Leah slipped two quarters in the slot and picked up the second gun.

"I just finished destroying an alien race, so I figured I'd help you. You seem to be struggling. and I'm a wicked good shot," she told him as she pointed the gun and got a head shot.

She had lied when she told him he'd been struggling because he was an amazing shot. He hadn't missed once from what she could tell of his score. Either he played this game a lot or he was a a serial killer in his spare time. She decided to go with her first guess since he didn't strike her as a murderer, but then again, that _could_ be the thing, the _one_ thing that was wrong with him, because everyone had a thing and he was just too good to be true. She wasn't worried though, since they were in a public place and even if he was a killer, she was pretty sure she could take him if she had to. After years of living on the street Leah was pretty sure she could handle almost anything. When you live on the street, well you are pretty much prepared for anything.

Jasper kept his eyes on the screen, though he did smirk as he continued shooting. "I think you're the one who needs help; I heard you cussing out the alien race when they killed you. _And_ you've been playing less than two minutes and you've already lost two of five lives while I still have all of mine. I'm a natural born cowboy darlin', and you, well, don't take this the wrong way, but there's a reason your ancestors used bows and arrows instead of guns."

"Oh, no you didn't!" she snapped before narrowing her eyes and focusing more on the game. He had just challenged her, and Leah never turned down a challenge. He thought he was hot shit when it came this game, but she was going to show him. "Prepare to lose, pretty boy, because you just turned up the heat! Game on!"

Jasper laughed before nudging her with his hip, trying to throw her off. "Bring it on, Clearwater. I'm the champion of this game. How about we make it interesting? Whoever gets the highest score when the game is over gets the losers tickets. _All_ of them."

Leah thought about it for a second. She had worked hard to earn those tickets, but since she wasn't planning on losing, it would be no loss to her, and in the end, not only would she get extra tickets, but she would have bragging rights as well. "You are _so_ going to lose Hale, but if you're nice to me, I may use my fortune in tickets to get you one of those glow in the dark rings."

"When I win, I'll be sure to do better than a ring," he stated while pulling the trigger and killing another character on the screen, which brought his score up by almost two hundred points. "If you're nice and say please, I'll spring for one of those fake coin necklaces, and I'll even throw in a pack of Superhero playing cards complete with chewing gum."

"You really know how to woo a girl don't you?" she teased, taking out three guys in one shot. "I've always wanted a necklace made of coins, but worth nothing and my day wouldn't be complete without a pack of Superhero cards. If you're not careful I may fall for you, especially if I know there's free gum in it for me."

TBC...


End file.
